


Recovery Isn't Linear, but I'll Stay by Your Side

by Fandoms_ruined_me123



Series: Whumptober 2020 [9]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: Drug Abuse, Drug Addiction, Drug Withdrawal, Illnesses, Jason Todd Has a Heart, M/M, Oliver Queen's Bad Parenting, POV Jason Todd, Roy Harper Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:13:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27142270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fandoms_ruined_me123/pseuds/Fandoms_ruined_me123
Summary: Jason knew that Roy was struggling and that he had for years, but it was never really brought up. However when he receives a concerning phone call while at the manor everything changed and he is forced to recognize the spiral that he had fallen into. They always say that it's the last time but it never ends up like that does it?
Relationships: Roy Harper/Jason Todd
Series: Whumptober 2020 [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1950364
Comments: 3
Kudos: 96





	Recovery Isn't Linear, but I'll Stay by Your Side

**Author's Note:**

> So we are going into crunch time. I have about 22 more fics to go and I have 8 days to write them! I have so much adrenaline pumping through my veins as I type this and I am ready to go! I've been going through a bit of a Jayroy kick recently and I am hardcore vibing with it so here is my little addition to that ship! 
> 
> And as always thank you to my amazing beta Elise who is secretly the chipmunk hiding behind a trashcan in the alleyway behind the Denny's in a town you once drove through but it was so plain that you don't even remember it

It was a seemingly normal day, for once everything didn’t seem to be falling apart around him. Jason should have known something was coming. In his line of work, he knew that things were never calm for long. Bruce had insisted he come by the manor for a little while. He claimed that it was because Alfred missed him, but Jason knew better. The visit had gone better than he had expected. Patrol was decently calm, mainly just clean up after the last Arkhman break out a week prior. When Jason had first arrived, he was expecting to be gone within twenty-four hours after the inevitable argument with someone that would devolve into a screaming match. Bruce or whoever would take the other person's side and he would leave for a month or so before Bruce invited him back. It was a somewhat normal routine that Jason had gotten used to. It didn’t make the fights any easier or the words any less hurtful but at least he knew it was coming. But recently the fights had happened less, the words less hurtful. He found himself leaving before things got too bad and not after. Part of him started to wonder if things were going to get any worse or if he was just leaving because that’s what was easiest. So when he pulled into the driveway, he was determined to stick through the argument and hold his ground. He wouldn’t run away like he always had. But, much to his surprise, the argument never came. Sure there were the occasional squabbles but from what he had seen, it seemed normal amongst siblings and they never escalated. It was odd and he wasn’t so sure what to think about it. After all, he never had siblings growing up and Dick wasn’t around when he lived with Bruce. He had made a new family with the Outlaws and they fought the same way, but it was never like that. There is something different between jokingly fighting with someone you chose to be around and someone you are legally attached to in one way or another. But still it was strangely peaceful, then the call came. 

It was in the middle of dinner. Dick was enthusiastically telling them about Damian’s accomplishments in school that week. Jason watched with slight amusement as the younger boy protested. A stern uncaring face that almost was able to hide his emotions but they could all see the pride radiating off of him. He could see it in the way that his back straightened slightly as he held himself high. Not in the prideful way that screamed self-importance as he usually did, but this time it was different. Less pride for simply existing but pride based on something he worked for, no matter how often he claimed it was nothing. Jason watched the way that kid bloomed under validation and couldn’t help but wonder if that’s what he used to be like when he first came to the manor. He had just opened his mouth to respond when Jason’s phone started to vibrate. Everyone stared as he pulled his phone out, fully ready to ignore the call when he saw who it was from. 

“I’ve got to take this,” He said hurriedly as he rose quickly from his chair before he walked out into the hallway. He knew it was probably nothing, but he knew he couldn’t ignore the call on the chance it wasn’t. 

“Jason?” Jason froze in his steps outside the dining room as the voice crackled on the other side. 

“Roy? What happened? Are you ok?” Roy paused, his breathing trembled slightly and it was clear that he had been crying. 

“I’m sorry, I thought I could do this but I can’t. I can’t do this by myself, Jason,” He peeked into the dining room where everyone sat, pretending to have a casual conversation but clearly listening curiously. Jason stepped further down the hallway as he put his hand over the speaker to muffle it. 

“Roy, what’s going on? Are you still at your safe house? The one on the edge of the city?” He quickly walked towards the entryway before he grabbed his shoes from the pile next to the door. Alfred was very stern about having no shoes in the house. It had always seemed like a bother to Jason, but he had never questioned the older man on it. 

“Yeah,” Jason slipped his shoes on before he quickly stood before he made his way back to the dining room. 

“Ok, I’m on my way. Just hold on for a bit, I’ll be right there.” When he entered back into the dining room everyone was quiet as they looked over to him.

“I’ve got to go.” He said as he rushed over to his chair to take his jacket off the back of it before he put it on quickly. 

“We understand,” Alfred said, his voice remained calm but his face was full of concern. “I do hope Mr. Harper is alright,”

“So do I.” And with that, he ran off into the night.

The ride over to the safe house seemed much longer than it has even been before as he raced through the city. They had a mission two weeks before that hadn’t gone according to plan, and they both had cases to work on afterward. Jason in Gotham and Roy following a lead in Bludhaven. It had been too long since they had seen each other but when Jason had tried to reach out Roy had shut him down claiming he was busy. They still texted or called every night, but hadn’t actually seen each other. There was nothing to make him suspect something was going on, but obviously, there was something he had missed. He kept attempting to figure out what would have happened but he couldn’t think of anything that would have caused this. He didn’t seem to be in danger but was it an injury? Thoughts and questions raced through his head as he sped through the empty backroads. He broke about every rule of driving but he didn’t care, all he knew was that Roy needed him and that he couldn’t get there fast enough for his liking. 

When he finally pulled to a stop, Jason leaped off his bike and began to run towards the empty apartment building. He only paused for a moment to disengage the security before he bolted inside. The door to the stairs hit the wall with a loud bang that echoed up the stairwell as he began making his way up to the top floor. He knew it was only logical and that there was a reason they always lived on the top floor of safe houses. Something about having less access points. It was a valid reason, but at that moment Jason hated it more than anything. His fingers shook slightly as he attempted to slide the key into the lock. They always made sure to have a key to each of the safe houses they were staying in, just for situations like this. 

“Roy?” Jason wasn’t sure what he was expecting when he entered the apartment but it wasn’t this. When he stepped into the apartment the first thing that caught his eye was the large black scorch mark on the floor as if someone had set a fire. But the closer he looked at it he realized that it was not ‘as if someone had set a fire’, but that’s exactly what had happened. Frantically, he looked around the apartment as he searched for any sign of Roy. The second he heard movement he raced over to the bathroom. If he had thought the floor was surprising the sight that met him was even worse.

Roy was curled up on the bathroom floor. His white shirt clung to him and was drenched in this sweat. Perspiration matted his hair down to his face but even then he shivered slightly. His arms were wrapped around himself loosely but it seemed as if holding them around tightly himself would be using too much energy and by the looks of it, he didn’t have much to spare. The smell wafted up to Jason even as he stood in the hallway and it made sense as to why Roy had chosen to stay in the bathroom. He stood there for a moment and took in the sight in front of him. He was obviously sick, but that didn’t match up to the concerning and ominous message that he had left Jason. Realization dawned upon him as he mentally checked off his symptoms and horror settled deep in his chest. 

“Jason?” Roy asked as he looked up at him. He held a hand over his mouth as he yawned slightly. Tears began to pour out of his eyes and cascaded down his face. “I’m sorry, I’m really sorry,” And in a moment Jason was down by his side. 

“How long?” He asked as he helped Roy sit up.

“Just the last few weeks. The job went deeper than I thought and I ended up looking into a group of drug traffickers,” Roy explained quietly. His head turned away from Jason and he refused to meet his eyes. “It was only supposed to be one time. Then it was only supposed to be two times. And-” He broke off as he yawned and as he sobbed quietly. 

“I’m really sorry,”

“You don’t have to apologize to me,” Jason said as he took off his jacket and wrapped it around him. Tucked the edges under his shoulder as it draped across him like a blanket. “I’m glad you called. Were you planning on going through withdrawal alone?”

“I didn’t want to let you down,” Roy whispered as Jason paused. “I know I let you down but I didn’t want you to leave,” Jason felt his heart clench as he looked down, wide-eyed, as his words sunk in.

“Roy, look at me,” Jason said firmly. Roy raised his head slowly, begrudgingly looking up at him. “I’m not going to leave, I’m staying by your side.” 

“Why? This happens and then people leave. They get disappointed in me and then they leave, that’s what they always do! That’s what Oliver did and I ended up on the streets. There wasn’t even anyone who tried to help,” Jason waited patiently as Roy vented before he spoke. 

“What Oliver did was (hecked) up. You needed support, not someone to judge you. I’m staying by you,” He paused for a moment as he ran a hand through his hair. “I’m just a little upset that you were ready to go through this alone rather than ask me for help.”

“I just didn’t want you to leave me too,” They sat there in silence for a moment as they let his words sink in. Finally, Jason rose to his feet. 

“Where is it?”

“I uh, set it on fire,” Roy said before laughing slightly. “It’s more flammable than I thought,” 

“And so you set it on fire in the apartment? You could have gone to any of the other rooms to do that,”

“I wasn’t thinking clearly!” Roy argued in mock anger, the smile on his face betrayed his true feelings. “I knew I couldn’t just throw it away or I’d go get it again so…”

“So you set it on fire?”

“Exactly!” Roy smiled before he looked down to the floor again. “You know this isn’t gonna be pretty right? It takes days and this isn’t even the worst of it,”

“Trust me, I know,” Jason said as he kneeled down next to Roy. He took his jacket off and cast it aside before he slipped his arm underneath Roy. As he helped lift him to his feet, he couldn’t help but notice how light he was. He had definitely lost a significant amount of weight since he had last seen him. With Roys arm over his shoulder, he all but carried him over to the next room. 

“You sure you’re not mad?” Roy asked hesitantly as Jason laid him down gently on the bed. 

“Roy you are one of the bravest people I know. This is a minor set back but you’ll get past this and I’m staying here,” He stood there awkwardly for a moment before he pulled out his phone and headed towards the door. “But I have some calls to make because you need food and they just finished up dinner at the manor,” 

“Thank you,” Jason turned around as he walked out into the hallway. His phone halfway up to his ear as the dial tone rang out.

“For what?”

“For being here for me,” Jason watched as Roy pulled the blankets over himself until only his head was visible as he nestled into the large stack of pillows on the bed. He hesitated, somewhat unsure of what to say. He knew what he would say to someone else. If it were any of his brothers he would huff in exasperation and make some comment about how they owed him. Anything else but say what he truly felt. But as he looked over at Roy he was reminded that this wasn’t just any other person. 

“I always will,”


End file.
